PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Firuz Shahzad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justin White (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shahzad's entrance music is Yeke Yeke - Hardfloor Remix (Mory Kante). A fine choice. White has chosen Ain't I remix by Yung LA ft. Young Dro and T.I. as his entrance music. Justin White acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Shahzad
vs
White

173 cm
23
165 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

180 cm
19
158 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Demonic Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Firuz Shahzad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Justin White!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Gregory Folan and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
White tries to clinch up but Shahzad circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - White looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
White tries to clinch but Shahzad moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Shahzad.
Shahzad stuffs the takedown.
Shahzad throws a head kick that misses.
White is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Shahzad.
Shahzad lands a jab to the head.
White blocks a head kick by Shahzad.

Shahzad gets caught flat footed, as White shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Shahzad is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Shahzad is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Shahzad wants to sweep here but White controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shahzad looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but White puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
White wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Shahzad uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
White wants to control from the top but Shahzad keeps moving.
Shahzad is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Shahzad looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
White looking to sit in guard and control but Shahzad gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
White has Shahzad pulled in close to control his posture.
White keeping full guard, as Shahzad tries to pass.
Shahzad trying to control the position from guard on top but White is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Shahzad is pushing down on White's leg trying to pass to half guard. White is fighting to maintain full guard but Shahzad has managed to sneak the leg through.
Shahzad thows a huge punch but White dodges it nicely.
White is refusing to be controlled, as Shahzad sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
White tries to get to full guard but Shahzad has control of the leg.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
White looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
White tries to clinch there but Shahzad circles away.
White takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
White takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
An inside leg kick lands from Shahzad.
White looks to score with a jab to the body but Shahzad is just out of range.
White tries to clinch but Shahzad moves out of range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shahzad tries a head kick but it misses.
White misses with a series of wild punches.
Shahzad moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Firuz Shahzad dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Shahzad jabs White right on the nose. White blinks but takes it well.
White doesn't manage to clinch there - Shahzad circles away.
No joy there for Shahzad, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Shahzad tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
White shoots in but Shahzad avoids the takedown attempt easily.
White avoids a kick to the body.
Shahzad throws a combination. White tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Shahzad avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shahzad is looking to slow White down with leg kicks.
Shahzad misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Shahzad swats away the attempt to clinch by White.

White closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Shahzad tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but White wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Shahzad tries to control but White manages to take his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shahzad manages to reverse the position and now he's in White's guard. Nice work there by Shahzad.
Shahzad trying to control the position from guard on top but White is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shahzad passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
White tries to buck Shahzad off but Shahzad is having none of it.
Shahzad wants to lay and pray for a moment but White keeps working.
White parries the strikes from Shahzad easily there. Shahzad is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable White to escape.

Shahzad stands up and beckons White to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White shoots in but no luck this time.
White fails in his attempt to clinch.
White fails to land the takedown.
Firuz Shahzad has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Justin White.
White is breathing heavily.

White looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Shahzad trying to hold on to White's head to control him but White postures up.
Shahzad is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

White seems to be looking for submissions.
Shahzad wants to improve his position but White is controlling well.
Shahzad regains full guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Firuz Shahzad will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

White tries to clinch but Shahzad moves out of range.
Shahzad tries to land a front kick but White steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

White shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
White is trying to control the action in half guard but Shahzad is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
White throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Shahzad wants to control but White is keeping busy.
Shahzad is looking for a sweep. White is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shahzad manages to get to full guard.
White wants to stand but Shahzad is controlling his posture from full guard.
White must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
White preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
White looking to pass the guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
White sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
White is looking to clinch.
Shahzad fakes the leg kick and cracks White in the body.
Nice takedown defense from Shahzad. No joy for White on that attempt.
White takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
White shoots in but no luck this time.

Shahzad rushes White and presses him up against the cage.
Shahzad dodges an elbow strike from White.
A nice glancing elbow lands by White.
White is trying to maintain a safe position but Shahzad gets an underhook and turns White into the cage.
Shahzad lands an elbow inside.
Shahzad misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from White.
White tries to score a body lock takedown but Shahzad shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Firuz Shahzad has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Justin White.
White managing to block the knees to the body from Shahzad.
Shahzad on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shahzad lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Shahzad landing knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shahzad manages to break the clinch.
Justin White seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
White takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
White takes a shot to the body in his stride.
White misses with a two punch combination.
Shahzad throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
White looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Shahzad is fending him off so far but White persists. Nope, Shahzad circles away and we're back to standing.
Shahzad bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of White's head.
Shahzad keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Justin White has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shahzad throws a hook but White blocks it.
White misses with a combination
and Shahzad counters with a right hand to the body.

White darts in and clinches Shahzad up against the cage.
Shahzad tries to land knees in the clinch but White avoids the damage to the body.
Shahzad blocks an elbow strike from White.
Shahzad takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Firuz Shahzad has been cut.
White can't break the clinch.

White escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
White misses with a combination
and Shahzad counters with a left and a right that stings White.
White fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
White swats away the attempt to clinch by Shahzad.

Shahzad clinches with his opponent.
White throws a punch but it's blocked by Shahzad.
Shahzad avoiding damage as White throws knees to the body.
White lands a left hand that snaps the head of Shahzad backwards.

Shahzad breaks from the clinch.
Firuz Shahzad is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
White keeps the fight on the outside.
Shahzad connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
The fight stays on the outside here - White looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Shahzad. White shrugs it off though.
White looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A head kick misses from Shahzad.

And that's the end of the fight!
Firuz Shahzad showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Shahzad, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Firuz Shahzad!